


Renewals

by LetoaSai



Series: StrifeHart Fluff [2]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe, Fatherhood, Friends too helpful, M/M, Slice of Life, True Love, vow renewals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-17
Updated: 2018-08-17
Packaged: 2019-06-28 14:14:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15708870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LetoaSai/pseuds/LetoaSai
Summary: Leon and Cloud remain happily married, with their three children. Their attention might be split in different directions but at least their friends wanting them to renew their vows is a conversation they can ignore. This is why they eloped in the first place.





	Renewals

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy. Not any version.  
> Cloud Strife/Squall Leonhart

~  
“As long as you grab bread i don’t care what else you get. I swear sandwiches are all these kids are eating.” Leon said, cell phone between his ear and shoulder as he handed Riku a plate with a peanut butter sandwich cut into triangles. 

The twins were already sitting at a low play table, fingers and faces smeared with the results of their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. 

“Daddy, can i have the fishes?” Riku asked, completely ignoring the fact that his father was on the phone. 

“Yeah, here.” Leon said, grabbing the bag of goldfish and pouring them in a plastic bowl. “Can you carry them both?” 

“Ya,” Riku said, balancing the bowl on top of his plate and wandering back to his brothers. 

“Share them, Riku!” Leon called absent mindedly as he was finally able to hold the phone properly. 

“Text me a list,” Cloud’s voice was soft and almost too hard to hear, but he had a knack for knowing when Leon’s attention was back on him. He was outside and in between deliveries. “I’ll grab what we need.” 

Leon heaved a sigh, tired but content. “Thanks Rain-Cloud. I really didn’t want to take all three munchkins to the store with me.” 

Cloud chuckled, “No doubt. You know Aerith did offer to watch them for a bit if you need a break, and you do need a break.” 

“Yeah, i assumed that when she called earlier and said she’d stop by with some lame unneeded excuse.” Leon rolled his eyes. It’s not like their friends ever needed a reason to drop by. 

The boys usually went to daycare while he and Cloud worked but a bad storm a week prior had knocked out the power lines along the street and all businesses had closed while repairs were made. Cloud and Leon were taking turns staying home with their kids, but neither ever seemed to work regular hours to start with and Leon seemed to be taking the brunt of it. 

“She just wants to help. She knows i’m totally useless to you.” Cloud said. 

“You’re working two jobs, shut your face.” Leon said, leaning against the door frame and watching the boys eat and watch their cartoon. A rare calm moment where hunger was more important than playing. 

Cloud made deliveries on his motorcycle for Cid during the day and taught self defense classes several times a week. Both of them were also known to pick up a shift here and there to bar-tend at 7th Heaven when Tifa was short staffed. 

Leon himself taught college history, which was sometimes a pain in the ass as he was only slightly older than his students. He specialized in weapons and most obscure historical battles going back three centuries. Most days he preferred the bar tending. 

Cloud laughed softly again, “I’m just saying it’s okay to accept help from someone besides me, Lion. I only have one delivery left. I’ll hit the store when i’m done.” 

“Love you,” Leon sighed, looking up when the door opened and Aerith slipped inside with Tifa and Yuffie. Yuffie held a bag of cookies, no doubt to try and recruit his kids for mischief. Aerith had jars of jam she’d made and Tifa never strolled in under false pretenses. “And i’ll see if she wants too tomorrow. I have too many little assholes in that class to cancel. They don’t deserve a day off.” 

“You’re an asshole,” Cloud sounded nothing short of amused. “And i love you too.” 

“He’s smiling, must be Cloud,” Tifa commented softly, making the other two women laugh. She and Yuffie took off and seconds later the kids squealed in delight when they realized all three of their auntie’s were suddenly there. 

“Aerith, would you mind watching the kids tomorrow while i’m at class?” Leon asked, having not hung up yet since he figured Cloud was listening in. 

“Of course.” Aerith smiled, turning from the cabinets where she was putting the jams away. She always did make herself right at home. “I’ll be here in the morning.” 

“You sure you don’t want me to bring them to you?” 

“Oh no, it will be more fun for them to have all their toys and such.” Aerith said. “And will give me time to snoop through their things for birthday ideas.” 

Leon chuckled, “They’re turning three, anything is fine.” 

“Three is important, Leon.” Aerith said, taking no argument over the matter. “Birthdays should be taken seriously.”

“Speaking of their birthday,” Cloud said, drawing Leon’s attention back to his phone. “I was looking up tickets to those live show things.” 

Leon cringed, and nodded. Many of the cartoons the boys watched were having live performances at a local stadium as part of a tour. People dressed up as giant animals or whatever was really not their style but the boys had seen commercials and had been entranced ever since. It seemed like a fun birthday treat. Both Cloud and Leon had been resigned to that horrible fate of sitting through it, but like Aerith said, birthdays were important. The two of them had had too many childhood birthdays ruined and were determined to make every one special for their boys.

“Please tell me they were stupidly expensive and we’ll have to think of something else.” Leon grumbled. 

Cloud laughed. “It’s a show for babies, Squall. It’s actually reasonable.” 

“Fuck,” 

“Yeah,” Cloud said, practically hearing Leon’s pain. “I went looking for the puppy cartoon the twins like, but i might have found a slight compromise to our sanity.” 

Leon grunted, urging him to continue. 

“There’s a live show for that superhero cartoon they like too. Personally if i had to choose one to sit through…” 

“Isn’t that more Riku’s show?” 

“They all watch the same cartoons. They were flying around the living room with dish towels as capes the other night.” Cloud said, obviously desperate to get out of having to sit through the puppy show. 

Leon chuckled, “And you really think that will work?” 

“We’ll get them some merch from the puppy show and take them to the superhero live thing. It’s the same price and Riku will enjoy himself too. As a bonus, you and i won’t have to sit through that fucking song the dogs sing everytime they do fucking anything.” 

Leon laughed abruptly, “Yeah, it’s a good call. You make sure the twins are happy about it and i’ll marry you again.” 

“Oh, be still my beating heart.” Cloud snorted. 

“I vote yes!” Yuffie’s voice was suddenly too close. She stood right next to Leon having evidently been listening to him on the phone. “Get married again!” 

“It’s a great idea,” Tifa offered, holding a giggling Sora in her arms. “Considering you two bums eloped and didn’t tell anyone until way after the fact.” 

“Abort.” Cloud said suddenly. 

Aerith came closer, her own arms cross and a wide, predator like smile in place. “It sounds like a lovely idea. A little vow renewal. A little party.” 

Squall stared at the three woman who had him cornered with mischievous grins. “Cloud, we’re getting divorced.” 

Cloud hummed in agreement, “We’ll go into hiding after the twins birthday. They’ll never catch us alive.” 

“Be harder to do that with the boys.” he muttered. 

“We’ll go to Destiny Island for the summer.” Cloud mused, already thinking it out. Vincent owned a house there and was always willing to have Cloud and his family crash for a while. 

“Oh, you’re onto something.” 

Tifa was the first to scowl. “Oh hell no. What did he say? You two are not ruining this wedding for us.” 

“No one invited you into our marriage.” Leon shot back, feeling weight against his legs where Riku and Roxas leaned against him. 

“Daddy, are you married to papa now?” Riku asked, having evidently been listening. He’d been four for a few weeks and was proving at every turn how sharp he could be.

“Yes baby,” Leon couldn’t help a small smile. 

“Then why do you gotta do it ‘gain?” Riku asked, genuine confusion and curiosity in his eyes. He was tiny when he’d been adopted, but some part of him vaguely recalled his previous sad situation. He’d clung to Cloud and Leon for months after he realized he wasn’t going to be moved to a new home again and only getting the twins had further helped his separation anxiety. 

Leon knelt down, holding his phone loosely while Riku and Roxas butted up against his chest. “Papa and i are always going to be together, you don’t have to worry about that.” 

“What’s marwied?” Sora asked around the thumb in his mouth. Looking less interested in the conversation. 

“Its what mommies and daddies are, or papa’s and daddies in your case.” Aerith smiled softly at the little boy. 

“So since we’re already married, we don’t have to do it again.” Leon deadpanned, hearing very soft laughter coming from his phone. Cloud could only be so entertained because he wasn’t there in person. Had he been in the house his husband would have no doubt gone out a window to escape. 

Yuffie snorted, “People renew their vows all the time.” 

“Says the three unmarried women.” Leon raised a brow, smirking when both Yuffie and Tifa scowled at him. 

Aerith wasn’t so put out, “It could be nice of you to share this part of yourselves with your friends and family, Leon. I’ve been chatting with your friend Selphie since she found me online. I’m sure she could pass along the invitations to your dad and friends.” 

Leon’s expression went blank. 

“Get the hell out of there.” Cloud said, “Grab the boys and bail. We’ll go into hiding, they’ll never find us.” 

The serious tone had Leon resisting a smile and Roxas snatching his phone away. “Papa!” 

“Honestly, it wouldn’t kill you two to celebrate with the rest of us.” Tifa said. “We are happy for you, you know?” 

“We could do it for your four year anniversary.” Aerith continued. 

Leon sighed. “Stay out of my marriage.” Roxas was babbling away to Cloud on the phone who was apparently asking the small boy questions. “We appreciate that you care, but drop it. We eloped for a reason.” 

“Yeah, because the two of you are super boring.” Yuffie grumbled. “Who wants to play hide and seek!?” 

“Me!” Sora gasped, already trying to wiggle out of Tifa’s hold so he could get down to the floor. “Hide Roxy!” 

Roxas looked up from the phone with a frown. “Huh?” 

“Hide, hide, hide!” Sora said, grabbing Roxas’ hand as soon as Tifa set him down and taking off with him. Leon only just remembered to grab his phone again before it got lost in the house. 

Riku looked at Yuffie expectantly. “Count.” 

“I will,” She grinned. 

“Hide ya eyes.” He pointed at her face.

Yuffie pouted at him, “Don’t you trust me?” 

Riku blinked, and the look so closely mimicked both Cloud and Leon that Aerith and Tifa had to stifle their laughter. 

“Okay, okay.” Yuffie groaned, covering her face and counting loud. Riku watched her closely until she was on ‘three’ before trusting that she wouldn’t cheat. He took off in a different direction from the twins to keep from getting caught all at once. 

“Still there?” Leon asked, pressing his phone back to his ear. 

“Yeah, but i’m heading to my last delivery. You protect yourself from the darling harpies we call friends and text me that grocery list.” 

Leon snorted, “I’m not backed into a corner yet.” 

“Right, you still underestimate them, Lion. I’ll see you tonight. Love you.” 

“You might be right.” Leon said, almost hesitating when he found Tifa and Aerith still staring at him. “Love you too.” 

Both woman cooed as he hung up and began texting the list. He did not want to argue with two nearly three year-olds when they didn’t have bread and peanut butter. 

“You two are sweet,” Tifa said, voice filled with affectionate teasing. “Now care to share the real reason you don’t want a vow renewal? Or a party in general?” 

“It’s unnecessary. I don’t need other people to validate my relationship.” Leon said, hearing the twins loud giggling as Yuffie found them. 

Aerith hummed, “What about allowing other people to celebrate with you? Maybe not for your marriage, but for your whole new family.” 

Leon sighed, rolling his eyes and walking away from the conversation in hopes that it would end that way. 

“We don’t need his consent to plan a party.” Tifa chuckled. 

Yes, he definitely walked away from that. 

~  
Nearly three hours later Tifa and Yuffie were chasing the kids around the backyard while Leon and Aerith made dinner. It wasn’t the first time the women had invited themselves to dinner but no one was put out. 

Aerith decided to be the brave soul who would try to get the kids to eat something new and while Leon admired the attempt, he didn’t envy her self appointed task. 

When he heard the roar of a motorcycle slowing down he smiled. 

“You’re adorable,” Aerith muttered, noticing his pleased smile before excusing herself. She had a box of herbs outside that she’d brought them as a housewarming gift years before for her use. She used it every time she cooked for reasons Leon didn’t understand. The kids didn’t care if there was basil in their spaghetti. 

“Hey,” Cloud said as he walked in carrying three grocery bags and wearing his riding leathers. 

“Welcome home,” Leon muttered, taking his focus off the stove top for a minute. “Your friends are relentless.” Continuing the conversation from earlier was all too easy. 

“Our friends. They like you, Squall. It’s been years. Accept it.” Cloud said, setting the bags on the counter just before Leon pulled him closer and kissed his temple. “Missed me?” 

“Nah,” 

Cloud chuckled, pulling his sunglasses off and dropping them on the counter too before he pressed himself against Leon’s chest. “You sure?” 

“Maybe i could be persuaded to admitting things.” Leon said, nudging Cloud back against the counter. He had him pinned in place and pulled him into a slow kiss. 

They loved their kids and loved what their lives had turned into but it left very little alone time. The toddlers occupied with two of their aunts and dinner more than half made gave them a few minutes to spend on each other. The groceries could wait. 

Cloud wrapped his arms around Leon’s neck to hold onto as he moaned quietly. This was a moment that neither of them were going to let slip away without at least a little contact. The second he felt a hand gripping his hair he fought to keep his eyes from rolling back. 

“Squall…” 

“Shh,” Leon muttered, gripping Cloud’s hair tighter and trailing kisses down his jaw to his throat. They usually had to be careful about leaving marks, not because they cared about what people thought but because they had curious little kids that would point and ask questions. Currently however, neither seemed to recall those embarrassing moments. 

Cloud rolled his hips against his husbands and made a frustrated noise when Leon grabbed his waist to hold him still. “C’mon…” 

“Impatient,” 

“I am,” 

Leon grinned, returning to his mouth and kissing him quiet. It often amazed him what Cloud would allow. The two of them had met in the middle of a brawl and upon realizing that they were on the same side, had had each others backs ever since. 

It had been the start of a strange friendship, and an even stranger romance. Cloud didn’t have to let Leon pin him so easily, but he did. It was a heady realization every time. 

Cloud made a soft sound when Leon’s tongue stroked against his. It was a rough moment of letting Leon do as he pleased which tended to be how they both liked it. 

Both men jerked apart when they heard soft laughter. Aerith had slipped back in, taking care of the food on the stove cooking that Leon had neglected. They scowled, having no idea when the woman had reappeared. 

“Don’t mind me.” She hummed quietly. 

“Mood killer,” Cloud accused with a grumble, stealing one more kiss before releasing Leon from his hold. They had to silently agree that it was time to act like adults again. 

“We’ll pick up on this later,” Leon said, voice almost inaudible. All he needed to see was the faint upturn of Cloud’s lips to know he heard him. 

“Love you,” Cloud muttered. Hearing that from him daily was the only vow renewal that Leon would ever need. “Always.”

“Love you too.” 

“Dinner’s ready!” Aerith announced, throwing the pair an amused stare as she went to call the kids back inside. 

Leon frowned. "So, Destiny Island?" 

Cloud smiled, "I'll make the arrangements...." 

Wouldn't their friends be annoyed if they eloped twice...


End file.
